Drive for a printing member



Aug. 9, 1932. R. G. WHITLOCK DRIVE FOR A PRINTING MEMBER, INKING DEVICE, AND GUARD Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l lvm. KIM.. x*

M A TTO/e/VEY Angl 9, 1932 R, G. wHlTLocK 1,870,430

DRIVE FOR A PRINTING MEMBER, INKING DEVICE. AND GUARD Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [Nl/ENTOR BY Wap/v W/wnoc/f 9%,7 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH Gr. WHITLOCK, OF ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO RALPH G. WHIT- LOCK PATENTS, ING., OF LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA DRIVE FOB A PRINTING MEMBER, INKING DEVICE, AND GUARD Application med February` 2s, 1929. seriai No. 342,091.

This invention relates to means for indicia printing so called metered permit mail and more particularly to a movement for time relating the printing member and a guard therefor.

Among the objects of my invention is to positively relate the cycle operations cf the printing member and the guard whereby to obtain absolute coordination throughout their relative and various functionate movements, and to prevent unauthorized movements of the printing member.

My improvements consist in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts ashereinafter fully, clearly and concisely described, definitely pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, (2 sheets) in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a printing press constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional e-levation, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the movement for the printing member.

Fig. 3 is a similar elevation taken substantially on the line 3?-3 of Fig. 1, showing the movement for the guard. The machine, generally may be any device having recording mechanism to be set by the postmaster for a given number of impressions and which automatically locks when such impressions have been exhausted as for example, the machines shown in my applications, Printing Press, Serial No. 40,631, filed June 30, 1925, and Meter Press, Serial No. 319,147, filed November 13, 1928. Inasmuch as the referred to record mechanism and the automatic lock form no part of the present invention, except in combination, I will omit their detailed illustration and description.

Referring to the drawings, by numerals,

i 10 designates a casing in which there is a main, or driven, shaft 11 for the movements of the printing member 12 andthe printing member guard 13.

Carried on the shaft is a gear element 14 forming part of a recording mechanism and lock Vand a unidirectional device 15, such as are described in the applications referred to.

Formed in the casing there is a mouth 16 through which the mail pieces, or letters, are fed to receive impressions and carried by the casing and exposed by said mouth is a platen 17.

Within the casing opposite to the platen is a track, or guide, comprising opposed rails 18, fixed to the sides of the casing, between, or in which, is mounted a slide, comprising spaced bars, or elements 19, and to which slide is secured the recited printing member 12.

A cam 20, of circular shape, and having a. diameter substantially equal to the spacing of the recited bars 19 is eccentrically mounted on the shaft 11 and xed to rotate therewith as by the collar 21 and set screw 22. To facilitate the placement of the cam relative to the slide bars 19, and to cooperate with the set screw 22 to prevent play in the cam I provide a flange 23 on each bar 19, and to, at least partially, compensate for variable thicknesses of mail pieces, I interpose a cushion 24, such as rubber, between tlie printing member and its carrier, the s 1 e.

The guard 13 for the printing member comprises a wall 25, which surrounds, or partially surrounds, the printing member, and a. support, for the walls, formed as a pair of arms 26 integralwith the walls and mounted to rock, as upon pivots 27, in a path comprehending the path of the printing member at all times.

Carried by the guard, preferably upon anY arm 2S, extending between the arms 26, is a roll 29 and carried on the shaft 11 to rotate therewith opposite to the roll is a face cam 30, having a groove, or roll path 31, as shown in Fig. 2.

An inking device is provided and arranged for movement into and out of the path of the printing member, by preference such def vice includes an inking pad 32, at whose sides there are keys 33 for riding in tracks, or ways, 34 formed in, or carried by, the arms .26 of the guard and a link motion 35 connecting the pad with the guard, as best shown in Fig. 1.

As best shown in Fig. 3 the sides of the cam groove comprise five distinct lengths, which in the order of action upon the roll 29, as indicated by the direction arrow, are first, al length 36, bearing such tangential, or angular, relation to the edge of the rcam 20 shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, for the operation of the printing member, as to cause an initial movement of the guard prior to perceptible movement of the printing member to the end that the inking device is freed from, or moved to clear the type face.

Following the length 36 Ais a second length 37 bearing such angular relation to the edge of the cam 20,as to cause the gua-rd to be brought to rest upon the platen, or upon a mail piece supported thereon in advance of the movement of the printing member to the plane of impression, to the end that the guard box surrounds (protects) the printing member during all of its movement to print, or toward the platen.

Following the length 37 isla third length 38 substantially concentric to the shaft, which functions to hold the guard, with pressure, on the platen, or mail piece during the entire impression interval.

y ollowing the length 38-is a length 39, which is substantially the physical opposite of the length 37 and which functions to move the guard in a restoring direction in advance of the movement of the restoring movement of the printing member, and finally, following the length 39 there is a length 40, which-is substantially the physical opposite of the length 3G, and which functions to cause the ink pad to be brought to engage the type face with percussion whereby to effectsubstantially uniform and clean inlringrof the entire type face. y

The various cam lengths coact with the `link motion to first move the guard toward the platen to effect separating the ink pad from the type face; then by continued movement of the guard'cause the inl: pad as separated from the type face to be withdrawn in a path at substantially a right angle relative to the path of the printing member, then by continued movement of the guard in a guard restoring direction return the pad still sepa.-

rated'from the type face to the path of the printing member kand finally cause the pad to be .rapidly moved in a path substantially ,A paralleling the path of the printing member and brought as by impact to position aga-inst the type face.

The means, which translates the rotary motion of the main driven shaft to linear or reciprocating motion of the printing member and comprising the described cam and spaced bars of the printing member slide,

' prevents any movement of the printing inember, except by rotationk of the shaft and there- L by reduces to a minimum unauthorized impressions from the type, or indicia, of the printing member.

The form of the device illustrated and described herein is submitted in accordance with statutory requirement by way of exhib- 'iting one form of embodiment of my invention. Various changes, alterations or modifications of the structure may be made without departure from my invention as defined in the following claims. I claim:

l. The combination of a reciprocable printing member; an inkinfr device, a movable guard, and means operatble by the guard for initially moving the inking device ina direction substantially alined with the path of the printing member to clear the inking device from the type face of the printing member, then bodily move the cleared inking device first out of and then into-the path of the printing member and finally abruptly move the inking device in a direction alined with the path of the printing member.

2. In a drive mechanism, aeasing having a platen, a rotatable shaft, a rinting member, an inking device, a guard), means relating the shaft and' printing member, means comprising a face cam rotatable with the shaft, a roll carried by the guard, and a link motion between thek guard and the inking* device whereby there is effected positive synchronization between the printing meniber, the guard and the inking device.

3. In combination a printing member; aV support for said printing member; guide means for said support; a. guard; pivotally mounted arms connected to said guard and provided with track means; an inking mem'- ber slideably guided by said/track means;r a rotatable shaft; means connected to said shaft for moving the inking member from the type face vof the printing member and ies for moving the guard relative to said printing member; and means connected to said shaft 'for providing a constant drive relation between said shaft and printin member.

4. In combination: a casing printing throat formed therein; a shaft eX- aving a tending into said casing to a point opposite` M said throat; a non-reverse mechanism permitting rotation of said shaft in a single direction only; a printing member between` said shaft and said throat; a. platen on the opposite side of said throat from said printing,

member; guard means to prevent fraudulent impressionsbeing secured from said printing member; means connecting said shaft to said printing member and guard means to positively move said member and guard..

means through a printing cycle; and'means for driving a register for counting said printingr cycles by direct connection with said shaft. y

second guard'member disposed alongside said printing member and adapted to move into said printing throat in advance of said printing member and hold an object to be printed against said platen; and means for pos tively operating said second guard member from said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiX my signature this 15th day of February, 1929. RALPH Gr. WHITLOCK.

CERTIFlGA'lE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 870,430. August 9, 1932.

RALPH G. WHITLOCK.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as foilows: Page 2, line 129, begin ning with the words "5. A combination" strike out all to and including "shaft", in line 6, page 3, comprising claim 5, and insert the following as claim 5:

5. In combination: a casing having a printing throat formed therein; a platen opposite one side of said throat; a printing member opposite the other side oi said threat; a guard member normally disposed between said printing member and said throat; a shaft extending into said casing; and means actuated by said shaft to positively position said guard member between said printing niemeer and said threat when said printing member is retracted into inactive position, to positively withdraw said guard member from between said printing member and said throat during a printing cycle and to positively :neve said printing member into printing position and return this to retracted position during said printing cycle, a second guard member disposed aiongside said printing member and adapted to move into said printing throat in advance of said printing member and hold an object te be printed against said platen; and means for positively operating said second geard member from said shaft.;

and that the said Letters iiateni shenld be read with this correction therein that the same may contorni to the record o the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this iith day of October, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

